Illinois Basketball 2024-2025 Awards: Fan Favorite

Despite having been in Champaign for just a single season, Jake Davis has become far and away Illinois' most beloved player

Mar 2, 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward Jake Davis (15) shoots a three point shot over Michigan Wolverines guard Tre Donaldson (3) in the second half at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

This week Illinois on SI will announce its 2024-25 men's basketball awards – one each, Monday through Friday – to honor the individual contributions of last season's Illini.

Defensive Player of the Year: Tomislav Ivisic

Transfer of the Year: Kylan Boswell

Sixth Man of the Year: Will Riley

While (most) parents may claim they don’t have a favorite, or at the very least won’t admit it, Illini Nation certainly doesn’t mind picking and choosing among its most beloved.

For a time, it was Giorgi Bezhanishvili. Trent Frazier, bless him, had his stretch. And then, for the 2024-2025 season, one player stood head and shoulders above the rest, cementing his place – even after just a single season in Champaign – within the orange-and-blue hearts of Illinois fans.

Illinois on SI Fan Favorite of the Year: Jake Davis

2024-2025 stats: 3.0 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 34.4 percent from three

Playing behind an excellent wing rotation, Davis was limited to just 9.4 minutes per game during his sophomore campaign, but he made the most of seemingly each and every second on the court.

Davis' 34.4 percent three-point shooting may not immediately jump off the page, but given his sporadic playing time and Illinois' overall struggles from long range, it's undeniably impressive. Coming off the bench cold under the pressure to perform or grab some pine is a challenge for any player – especially for a shooter. Nonetheless, Davis knocked down 22 threes and led the Illini in three-point percentage.

JAKE DAVIS FROM DEEP.@IlliniMBB is lighting it up from long range. pic.twitter.com/AOg1UWBU6w

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 2, 2025

Defensively, Davis was game to match up with anyone thrown in front of him, even if he was at times in over his head. It might be an uber-athletic guard, a high-scoring wing or even, in the direst of situations, a seven-footer. Davis always put his best foot forward.

And despite standing 6-foot-6 and possessing something short of jump-out-of-the-gym athleticism, Davis was a hard-nosed rebounder who wrangled slightly more rebounds per 40 minutes (6.0) than 6-foot-9, 225-pound teammate Ben Humrichous.

And, look, there's no getting around it – that stupendous mane. Davis may have the best head of hair in all of college basketball, and possibly beyond. He is the envy of men, women and hair models (yes, they exist) everywhere. No one can compete with the long, luscious locks of Jake Davis. 

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